


the woods at night

by zagspect



Category: Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Dialogue-Only, Gen, bystander gossip, post-credits but spoiler-light, surface zag adventures
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-01
Updated: 2020-12-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:34:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27828343
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zagspect/pseuds/zagspect
Summary: When you're among friends this is called gossip, and it's considered to be not very nice. But among strangers it's called 'scary stories', or, if you're lucky enough, 'myth', and you live by it. Your fire sputters out without it. You live by other's words even when they're far from accurate, because there's nothing you can do to change the tales. No matter how hard you try, all your efforts fold themselves into the older stories to form even farther-fetched tales.(And the most popular song about you doesn't help.)
Comments: 15
Kudos: 88





	the woods at night

**Author's Note:**

> There once was a man who found himself in the woods at night, facing the bloodsoaked one himself...

"I- wait, where is it?"

"Where's what?"

"I had a bag- just- look with me, look on the floor-"

"I dont see anything."

(Head on underside of table. Bonk.)

"Really? You really don't? Oh no, oh no, it must've fell out as I was traveling, I'll have to-"

"No."

"No, I need to go back for it! What if it fell out in the forest in the snow, I'll search all night if I have to."

"Night? What foolishness. You're going to spend the night? Out _there_?"

"What?"

"Oh, you truly are new here."

"What's out there? Tell- ah, it doesn't matter, I'll face anything. I just need to go."

"Anything?"

"Even...the door to the Underworld?"

"What?"

"All manner of wretches and shades haunt a clearing there, and sometimes it fills with screams and blood and fire. They say it's because the gate to the Underworld is there."  
"And that's why the Bloodsoaked one walks through there-"

"Who is that?"

"That's what we call him, the man who melts the snow with fire-feet and tracks blood wherever he walks. I have my theories as to who he is, my suspicions."

"Point out the thin disguise of the Lord of the Underworld and he flies into a rage, they say."

"No way..."

"I would not lie. My cousin's friend's wife saw him, once. Fire at his head and his feet, covered in blood and injuries, three skulls chained to his shoulder. One of his eyes looks charred, burned away. He carries a contraption impossible to describe, but surely deadly-"

"-A sword. Isn't it a huge sword? Not that hard to describe a sword."

"She's not _that_ stupid, she would _know_ what a sword is."

"Oh, are you guys discussing tales of the Bloody Man? I heard he carries a spear, actually."

"-Okay, okay. I get your point. I'll run away if i so much as hear footsteps out there."

"Oh, but if you hear him it's already too late."

"He can cross oceans in a single leap!"

"There is no escape."

"You just have to pray that you're lucky."

"There's two sides to him, two faces. Perhaps you will be blessed with his kinder presentation."  
"The Bloodsoaked one is life and death. A vision of pain and decay, or a being who offers gifts."

"It's because he was slain in battle by the Hydra, and was later reborn as Dionysus. I heard a song about it once."

"That all sounds a bit like just scary stories."

"It's all true, I'm telling you. My uncle's friend can tell you this is true, he was there-"

"-Roasted fish that look like nothing one has ever seen before, plants somehow grown in this bitter wasteland, even bottles of nectar. You must accept these gifts, as he will insist you take them, and. Well. Even his kindest aspect still bears cruel claws."

"He has a _bow._ "

"No, _a spear._ "

"Yeah, sure. Whatever you say. When he tears your insides out with his claws, your shade can tell me I was right."

"H- has he truly killed that many?"

"Well... look, it's not like the dead can come back and tell on him."

"But he sure looks like someone who has just destroyed an army."

"And then- no matter what, all survived sightings of him end the same way- he will stumble and fall apart before your eyes, collapsing into a river of blood."

"They say it's a reminder of one's own mortality."

"They say to look directly at his death will bring you years of illness."

"I'll....."

**(Weeks before, he had said, passionately- "Yes, yes I will buy it, and I don't care if it takes all of my carefully saved money and more. It's all worth it.")**

"It sounds to me like most people get off easy, then. I'll take my chances."

"But they also say, that if he really takes a liking to you-"

"Agh. I've heard this, it's terrifying."

"I know. If he does- he brings you to a little house that looks like _springtime_."

" _True_ spring, the spring of our great-grandparents' time."

"And?"

"And makes you sit at his table, and offers you a warm meal."

"That isn't scary at all."

"No, it's a horror. Underworld food binds you to the realm, you see."

"It's true! I'm telling you I've heard about this. He means to steal people away, like Persephone was stolen to the Underworld."

"Pfft. You can't stop me with... what, wishful thinking from those who want lunch?"

"Don't make light of this. It's true, it happened to my grandfather."

"Whoa. Really?"

"Yes. He died a few months later."

"How old was he?"

"......That's not important."

"Listen, stop trying to scare me. I have to go in there, no matter what."

"What'd you lose, anyway? Surely it can't be that important."

"....Forget it. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Or WILL you??"

"Yeah, see you. Unless you get MURDERED-"

"KIDNAPPED into the UNDERWORLD-"

"-Fed a hot bowl of soup-"

"-Had your head ripped off-"

"Goodnight, everyone."

**(Yesterday, to a hand-mirror by his bedside table- "You mean the world to me. I want you to have this. No, that sounds awkward. My dear. I bought you this to symbolize our love. Not quite. I love you, will you marry me? Please?")**

(crunch-sizzle crunch-sizzle crunch-sizzle feet and fire through the snow)

_"You just have to pray that you're lucky."_

"It's just the wind. don't worry, you're just spooked from those guys before. You need to find-"

(howling wind)

(crunch-sizzle crunch-sizzle crunch-sizzle)

"If it's here I'll have to find it under all this snow. I'll do it, though. Brrrr! That's cold-"

_"There is no escape."_

"Excuse me, sir, are you all right?"

"Yes, I'm-"

(the loudest silence.)

"Hm?"

"Ah- I'm-"

"Huh? Oh. Sorry about my appearance, It's been....Well, I've had a long dayornight! Haha. Yeah, I must look a mess, because-"

(rustle goes a hand through hair)

(crunch goes the point of a sword into the earth)

"-I just got here myself a few minutes ago!"

"Ah."

"As I was saying. Can I help you? You seem worried. Did you lose something?"

"I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You can tell me if you need something. I've still got time to kill."

(words fail him. a squeak of fear.)

"Oh! Not literally. Sorry, I could see-"

(the whoosh of a sword through the air)

"-How it could have sounded literal. But what I meant was that if I'm careful I have some time to help you, and if I'm not careful I have very little time and will have to help you quite a bit later. I don't mean to rush you, I don't mean to be pushy, here, but if your problem is time-sensitive and you take too long to tell me about it I may not be able to be of any use at all."

_"There's two sides to him, two faces."  
"Perhaps you will be blessed with his kinder presentation."_

"Well..."

"Yes?"

**(Yesterday, to a hand-mirror by his bedside table- "I would die without you. If you don't take this and marry me I would simply perish. No, no, far too grim.")**

"I'm sorry to trouble you, my lor- um-"

_"Point out the thin disguise of the Lord of the Underworld and he flies into a rage, they say."_

"Oh, no need to be formal with me! You can just call me Zagreus."

"Zagreus?"

(soft laughter)

"That's my name, sir. Friends call me Zag."

"Yes. Sorry... Zagreus. I was traveling through here this morning, as a guest to this town, and lost a very important package in the woods. I must find it. I will spend all night here looking if I need to."

"What was in it?"

"...It's a cloth bag, blue, with a ribbon drawstring-"

"Aw, come on, you can tell me! What did you lose?"

_"-flies into a rage, they say-"_

"......It's very personal."

**(In the future, returning victoriously, he will say to the same men who crowded him telling their scary stories- "You can't hide anything from him. He wants to know your secrets, insisting to know in a friendly way, and a sword to back himself up if friendliness is not enough."**

  
**"So it _is_ a sword.", one will reply.)**

"Oooh. What is it?"

"...It's a bracelet. A thick band of metal, and gemstones set throughout."

"Sounds fancy."

"....Cost me everything I have. It's worth it, though, but that's why I need to find it no matter what."

"For sure. Is it for a lover?"

  
_"He wants to know your secrets-"_

"I- well, yes. It is. They live in the town past this forest. It's for them. I am going to propose with it. I will look all night if I must."

"How romantic! Of course you need to find it. I'll help you, though I don't have all night."

(crunch-sizzle crunch-sizzle crunch-sizzle, melting away snow and combing through tree roots.)

"..."

(crunch-sizzle crunch-sizzle crunch-sizzle)

"...Zagreus?"

"Yes?"

"...........How did you know? That it was for a lover."

"I took a guess, honestly. I was sort of hoping it was."

(crunch-sizzle crunch-sizzle crunch-sizzle)

"I love helping couples become happy with each other, solving those sorts of probl- ah, there it is!"

**(To his lover, he will say- "I saw him melt the snow away as he walked with his terrifying fire, and found it under his foot at the base of a tree. The bag is scorched where he stepped on it, look!")**

"You did?! Thank you! Thank you, I-"

(a hiss through teeth)

"I'm so sorry, sir. I think I melted it when I stepped on it. Please, walk with me, I'll fix it at the house."

**_"But they also say, that if he really takes a liking to you-"_ **

**_"Agh. I've heard this, it's terrifying."_ **

**_"I know. If he does- he brings you to a little house that looks like springtime."_**

(crunching snow underfoot)

(the whoosh of a sword through the air)

(chatter unhearable over the thump-thump-thump of his own heart.)

"Ahh. Here we are."

**(In the future he will say "He put an arm around me, with a grip I could not and did not dare try to break out of. His skin was warm as if this whole time he had been sitting by a fireplace, not walking through snow, barefoot and with half his chest exposed."**

**"Okay but did he have claws?"**

**"If he did, he kept them retracted, like a cat's.")**

"Oh! Sir, you're freezing! I'll-"

(a heavy breath)

"-You should make some tea when we get in. Pots and cups are above the stove in the cabinet, tea in the drawer below. I don't have much time left, and I ought to use what I do have to fix this."

**("Only then did he take his hand from around my waist, as if he had forgotten it was there until he needed to point with it. I missed his warmth instantly, but I was relieved to be out of his grip."** **)**

"Sometimes, the sun rises from right there. I'm going to miss it, I think, but you should see it later."

  
**(In the future he will say "There truly was a house like bygone springtime, a cottage inside a garden with green grass and colorful fruits, and a river running around it. Inside, there really were cups and pots and dried tea leaves in little filter-bags, like it was a real house-")**

(kicking a log, the roar of a flame)

"It's alright, go on. You don't need to make any for me, but do make something to warm yourself up."

(the clatter of sword against wall)

**("-what else could I do but play out domesticity with this creature?")**

"Hm. I think I can fix this."

**("-The bracelet was melted beyond wearability, and some of the stones were missing. My host leaned against the kitchen wall, holding it to his fire-foot until it glowed and pinching the hot metal back into form. His attention was firmly on the bracelet but his sword's hilt had an eerie face, watching. I could feel its eyes on me, making sure I completed what the Bloodsoaked one asked of me. It's true, I was very cold, and I was grateful to be holding a mug of hot water, but still I trembled with the fear of what he forced me to add to it, and to drink-")**

"It's camomile, and mint. My mother taught me how to dry the leaves, which to try and mix together."

**(-"And it was camomile, and mint. Or, a good recreation of it.")**

(the clink of metal)

"All done! I think it looks nice. It's here on the hook with the ladles when you're ready to leave. Are you enjoying th-"

(sharp breath, like he's been hurt)

"Well, I'm... on my way out. I'll.... wash your cup.... next time I'm here, don't........ don't worry about it."

(gasping like there's blood in his throat)

"Here."

(clinking coins across the kitchen table)

"For... you. Coins....You don't... get to keep this when you die......."

**("-He looked as if he were melting away. Too late, I remembered to look elsewhere. I'm sure I have sealed some ill fortune for myself, but- no, no, of course I didn't touch the gold."  
(the clink of coins in a pocket)  
"Really.")**

(bubbling blood like water boiling.)

(a shout, and faint music.)

(howling winds and the cold setting in as soon as the blood sunk into the earth.)

**("-When I looked at it, the bracelet had a wavy pattern around the edge that it hadn't had before, and some of the gemstones were new. Look, the bag is scorched, too, that's the only evidence I have. The house seemed to fade around me as soon as I took down the bracelet, and once I walked far enough it wasn't even there anymore, I'm sure I couldn't find it now even if I looked-")**

(blood rushing in his ears and heavy footsteps running running running stomp stomp stomp stomp until the trees thin out, until there is light in the distance.)

(a door slamming open)

(panting, gasping for breath)

"You wont _believe_ what just happened to me!"

**Author's Note:**

> heavy heavy heavy on the dialogue as a challenge to myself! i hope i pulled it off!!


End file.
